A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved implement wheel and, more particularly, to a new and improved ground-engaging implement wheel for farm or agricultural equipment, such as tillage and planting equipment.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Ground engaging tillage and planting equipment and other agricultural implements rely on a series of rubber tired sheet metal wheels approximately 6 to 12 inches in diameter to position the equipment at a desired height above the ground. Typical examples of such tillage and planting equipment include metal plows, disc harrows and planting units. The wheels attached to this equipment are subject to high stresses, particularly in the wheel bearing location and replacement of the wheel bearings in such equipment frequently is required during the service life of the equipment.
Typical prior art implement wheels are constructed to include approximately 7 bolts circumferentially distributed around a wheel half to join the wheel halves together, to hold the wheel bearing in place, and to maintain the tire in position. If the bearing fails due to the aggressive working environment in which agricultural implements are employed, the bolts must be removed to separate wheel halves, the tire is removed, a new bearing is installed, the wheel halves are bolted together, and the tire is mounted on the wheel. This procedure requires a substantial amount of time and effort requiring substantially complete wheel removal and disassembly for wheel bearing replacement. Further, the construction of the described prior art implement wheel is relatively expensive and requires the manufacturer and user to inventory a relatively large number of parts because of the necessary mechanical fasteners. In addition, the component strength of the typical prior art implement wheel is not as high as desired since the wheel halves are held together by mechanical fasteners that are subject to rapid wear due to the high bending stresses imparted at the area of the mechanical fasteners during use of the implement. Further, most often the bearings must be replaced in the field where the agricultural implement is being used, and the removal of the mechanical fasteners and disassembly of the wheel for bearing replacement, as described, is very difficult.